Women Who Code, a non-profit organisation which has spent the last decade teaching women about opportunities in the technology sector, is shutting down due to a lack of funding. Since 2011, Women Who Code has thrived and grown, with around 1,000 volunteers in 145 countries worldwide currently working to educate women about coding and tech jobs.
Unfortunately, it appears a lack of funding opportunities and a dramatic halt to capital investment has forced the closure of the organisation. The decision was made in mid-April 2024, with the company’s Board of Directors agreeing on full dissolution after “careful consideration” of all options available.
“This decision has not been made lightly. It only comes after careful consideration of all options and is due to factors that have materially impacted our funding sources – funds that were critical to continuing our programming and delivering on our mission,” Women Who Code said in a blog post.
“We understand that this news will come as a disappointment to many, and we want to express our deepest gratitude to each and every one of you who have been a part of our journey.”
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Per Women Who Code, the organisation has managed a mammoth array of achievements since it launched: it’s “delivered more than 20 thousand community-led events, awarded more than USD $3.5 million in scholarships, held developer conferences and technical summits in tech hubs around the world, logged more than one million high-skilled, leadership-building volunteer hours, given away more than USD $2.5 million in conference tickets for broader industry engagement, and shared more than 14,000 job opportunities.”
With the closure of the organisation, this support will no longer be available for women looking to enter the tech industry. Likewise, there will be fewer opportunities to learn more about the tech industry, and to skill up in the workforce.
While Women Who Code has achieved much, the company has left supporters with a message: that its mission is not complete until the tech industry is a place “where diverse women and historically excluded people thrive at every level.”
There is hope that, despite the organisation being forced to shut down, its message will continue, and women in tech jobs will carry the torch in making the industry approachable and welcoming for everyone.
“To the women in technology, if you have been inspired, made a career connection, leveled up your technical skills, or expanded your network through this movement, we encourage you to keep paying that forward,” Women Who Code said. “The world needs women and diverse perspectives at the helm of tech as a critical force that shapes our world every day. Please, keep going.”
